About a week and a half ago, I found my BCM on my coop floor, unable to use her legs. I set her in the nest box with food and water to see if she might improve with some hydration. No dice. So, I gave her a shot of B12, and watched her for a few days, placed her on the coop floor with a dish of food and water right infront of her. She still has not improved, but she was not (and still is not) getting worse. I went out of town for a few days, again making sure she had food and water infront of her, and someone to check on her. At this point, with her lack of improvement, I have been considering euthanizing her. I cannot justify keeping a crippled bird around, no matter how much I like her. It just isn't fair.
Apparently my sister had someone watching her dogs, and she came across my girl sitting on the coop floor, and the food and water were used up (I knew there was enough for three days worth of water, and allowed my girls to free range while I was gone incase they ate all of the food I left down). I had a friend checking on them. I had the intention of coming back the fourth day (today) to refill their water. The temps havent been too bad lately, and a few hours without water was not going to hurt them (I also had two additional water sources out for them). Well, my bad luck, my sister's friend went into our back yard, and found my chicken laying next to an empty feeder and waterer. She called me panicked (got my number from an emergency list next to my personal desk, no way she should have been poking around by it) and I told her I would be home in a few hours, to make sure she could get to the water.
She freaked out, and now wants to call animal control on me ( I am an animal services officer certified by my state, by the way. I know the laws). I do not know what else to do for my poor bird, she is showing no improvement, has no new symptoms, and is still in good spirits...she even has somehow managed to move around the coop a little. With her lack of improvement, I have brought her inside, vet wrapped her legs to her body in a bent position, and placed her in a small dog crate. I gave her another shot of B12 tonight, and pedialite in her water.
I thought maybe she dislocated something jumping out of the nest box or something, but appears not to have done so. There also appears to be no fractures in her legs, and no weakness progressing to other parts of her body indicating possible disease. Any thoughts on what else I can try to get some improvement? If animal control is called, I can show provision of reasonable care and treatment (especially since no vets in my area work with chickens), and adequate provision of food and water, but I may have to euthanize my lovely Evie to placate them.
Again, I was considering that option anyway, but I wanted to make sure I gave her every chance to improve. She is a pet that I am very fond of after all.
I just wanted to add it has been more than three months since I have seen any eggs from any of my four chickens. One is a very young EE that should have long since laid her first egg.
Apparently my sister had someone watching her dogs, and she came across my girl sitting on the coop floor, and the food and water were used up (I knew there was enough for three days worth of water, and allowed my girls to free range while I was gone incase they ate all of the food I left down). I had a friend checking on them. I had the intention of coming back the fourth day (today) to refill their water. The temps havent been too bad lately, and a few hours without water was not going to hurt them (I also had two additional water sources out for them). Well, my bad luck, my sister's friend went into our back yard, and found my chicken laying next to an empty feeder and waterer. She called me panicked (got my number from an emergency list next to my personal desk, no way she should have been poking around by it) and I told her I would be home in a few hours, to make sure she could get to the water.
She freaked out, and now wants to call animal control on me ( I am an animal services officer certified by my state, by the way. I know the laws). I do not know what else to do for my poor bird, she is showing no improvement, has no new symptoms, and is still in good spirits...she even has somehow managed to move around the coop a little. With her lack of improvement, I have brought her inside, vet wrapped her legs to her body in a bent position, and placed her in a small dog crate. I gave her another shot of B12 tonight, and pedialite in her water.
I thought maybe she dislocated something jumping out of the nest box or something, but appears not to have done so. There also appears to be no fractures in her legs, and no weakness progressing to other parts of her body indicating possible disease. Any thoughts on what else I can try to get some improvement? If animal control is called, I can show provision of reasonable care and treatment (especially since no vets in my area work with chickens), and adequate provision of food and water, but I may have to euthanize my lovely Evie to placate them.
Again, I was considering that option anyway, but I wanted to make sure I gave her every chance to improve. She is a pet that I am very fond of after all.
I just wanted to add it has been more than three months since I have seen any eggs from any of my four chickens. One is a very young EE that should have long since laid her first egg.
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